Machinists union, space alliance to resume talks

[billyoc]

The Machinists union at Kennedy Space Center and NASA space shuttle contractor United Space Alliance will return to contract negotiations Thursday, in hopes of ending a more than three-month strike.

The two sides and a federal mediator have scheduled negotiating sessions for Thursday and Friday at an undisclosed location in Cape Canaveral, company and union officials said Tuesday.

"We're hopeful that we'll have a contract by Friday evening," said Lew Jamieson, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2061.

When asked if an agreement will be reached this week, United Space Alliance spokeswoman Tracey Yates said, "It's difficult to predict. Our goal is the same as it's always been‚ . . . We have every intention of negotiating in good faith."

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